Meet the Author

As an award winning blogger, David Butler helps others explore the world of craft beer in Northern Colorado. Fermentedly Challenged helps you find great places to enjoy a beer, listen to music, enjoy a meal and find a discount on your next pint. Follow along on social media - @ChipperDave on Twitter and on Facebook.

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Today is Giving Tuesday. This day always comes the day after Cyber Monday. It's a day where you are encouraged to give to others who are in need. Whether you buy someone a gift from a giving tree, give some food to a local food bank, or even offer a generous donation at one of those red kettles around town - giving today can help out struggling individuals and families who don't have much this time of year. Take some time today and see if you can help someone out who is in need and give. It'll warm your heart. Here's what's happening around the Colorado beerosphere today Tuesday, December 3rd, 2013. If you aren't reading this article on FermentedlyChallenged.com, you don't know what you're missing.

Copper Kettle Brewing Co (Denver) - December is "Candied Beers" Cask Month where there's something a bit sweet about each cask beer they release each Wednesday. This week's cask, available on December 4th, will be a "Caramel Bock", a bock beer made with homemade caramel. It taps at 3pm and should be available until 9pm (or until its gone). To see their other releases scheduled for this month, visit the Colorado Beer Releases page.

Barrels & Bottles Brewery (Golden) - Here's two events to keep on your calendar. The first is set for this Thursday, December 5th 4pm to 10pm - an Elevation Beer Co Whiteout Tap Takeover featuring 7 different Elevation beers including: First Cast IPA, 8 Second Kolsch, Little Mo' Porter, Downpour Fresh Hop, Apis IV, Apis IV (barrel aged), and Fanboy Barrel Aged Double IPA. Also on this day they will be donating 15% of their sales to the CAN'd Aid Foundation. Then on Friday, December 13th from 5pm to 10pm is their Ugly Sweater & Samuel Adams Tap Takeover featuring 10 different Sam Adams beers. Wear your ugliest holiday sweater. If you also bring in 4 cans of food to donate you will receive a free 10oz pour of Boston Lager.Westminster Brewing Co (Westminster) - After a successful soft opening on November 29th and 30th, Westminster Brewing Company will host their official GRAND OPENING celebration across 3 days this week on December 6th, 7th and 8th. The brewery is located at 7655 W. 108th Avenue, Unit 600 in Westminster, CO. They plan to have these initial weekly business hours: Mon-Thur 3pm-9pm, Fri-Sat 1pm-10pm, and Sun 1pm-8pm. Live music will be playing on Saturday. Some of their initial brews include and English Style IPA, an Irish Ale, a German light ale, a Chocolate Porter and an English bitter. Several beers will be available on cask and others on keg. Their "Tasting Lab" is open today, but the big party will start on Friday this week. Come welcome them into the Colorado brewing neighborhood.

Living The Dream Brewing Co (Littleton) - hings keep moving forward for Living the Dream! They now have a home! Come early 2014, Pints of Living the Dream Beer will be available at 12305 Dumont Way in Littleton, CO! Highlights include a tap room that lets you see the beer being made and a terrific outdoor seating area with a view of the mountains. Stay tuned as they will be updating progress of transforming their warehouse and building the brewery.

CAUTION: Brewing Co (Denver) - Caution and Stapleton Tap House in Denver are getting together today at 3pm for their first TAP IT TUESDAY at Stapleton Tap House. They will be pouring a very rare beer - their Project #3 GABF Pro-Am entry. This is a foreign export stout aged in both American and French oak wine barrels for 9 months and added 20 pounds of cherries to each barrel. This brew weighs in at 10% ABV. There's just a 5 gallons of this special brew so don't miss it!

Arvada Beer Co (Arvada) - There will be the Tree Lighting ceremony in Olde Town tonight as well as Ralston House Pre Colorado Gives Day at Arvada Beer Company from 5pm to 9pm. ABC will have their Butter Pecan Brown back on tap starting at 5pm tonight.

Big Choice Brewing (Broomfield) - On Wednesday, December 4th, Big Choice will release their "Malleus Malificarum Belgian Quad". A big beer to warm your heart. This beer will temporarily replace their Apre Shred Winter Ale which will be back very soon.

Our Mutual Friend Malt & Brew (Denver) - Today is Keep The Glass Tuesday and they are quickly running out of glass #2 in their series. This will be your last chance to get glass #2. Their next upcoming beer is almost ready. They will tap their Winter Warmer (10% ABV) this Friday night.

Critter Cutter Bottle Openers (Sponsor) - Looking for a great stocking stuffer? How about a multipurpose stainless steel bottle opener! Critter Cutter is nearly a quarter-inch thick and will open twist-off caps with ease, regular bottle caps, act as a can tab pry bar, and operate as a box cutter and can top punch. Best of all, it's compact, fits in your pocket and looks like a "critter"! Cyber Monday 15% Off Deal is still good through today (December 3rd, 2013). This product is also available in a multicolor Nitride Vapor Coated Stainless Steel. Check it out on the web at www.crittercutter.com. (See sponsor ad along blog sidebar)

Boulder County

Very Nice Brewing Co (Nederland) - There's plenty of variety on tap in December at Very Nice Brewing Company. Their flagship beers this month include: Steffie's Heffe, Very Nice Pale Ale, Royal We IPA, Monk's Phunk, and Logical Fallacy. In addition, they have some premium beers on tap: Porter de los Muertos (chili porter), Phunkin' Monster (barleywine), Freshie the Fresh Hopped Ale (w/local wild hops), Greener's Gruit Ale (hop-less). They also have 64oz stainless steel growlers available for purchase. If you buy a growler this month, you'll also get a free pint glass. New winter hours: Thurs 2-8pm, Fri 2-9pm, Sat 12-9pm, Sun 12-7pm. Also, coming up this Friday, December 6th, it's Nederland's First Friday Art Tour. Their featured artist is Al Hart and he will be doing a live art demo starting at 5pm in the taproom.

Avery Brewing (Boulder) - The devil is back! Avery's Mephistopheles' Stout returns on Friday the 13th (how appropriate) at 5pm. The 2013 edition will be available in draft and in bottles. This brew is also cellarable and should age for several years for future vertical tastings. Also, every Friday Avery will tap a Tap Room Rarity at 5pm. Coming soon is a Coconut Brown Ale made with chocolate malt and coconut flakes. Then, coming up in mid-December is the return of The Maharaja Imperial IPA - back for another season. This will be available on draft and in 22oz bottles. Stay tuned for New World Porter - returning in January.

Crystal Springs Brewing Co (Louisville) - There is now 13 beers on tap at their new taproom. Each week they will bring out something new. This week it's "Velvet Shank" a beer fermented entirely with Brettanomyces. Plus, they will offer their Black Saddle Single Cask Bourbon Barrel Aged Stout - four beers aged in four different bourbon barrels. Currently they have the brew from barrel #1 on tap and barrel #2 will be on tap today. Those beers will also be available in 22oz bottles at the taproom.

Front Range Brewing Co (Lafayette) - Are you a writer? Join in for the 1st annual Louisville Writers' Workshop Reading on Monday, December 9th from 7pm to 10pm. Meet area writers and sample Local Craft Brews at Front Range Brewing in Lafayette, CO. Sample the beers and hear readings from local writers at the Louisville Writers' Workshop 2013 End of Year Reading. For a cost of $10 per person, attendees will receive a small taster flight, receive a tour of the brewery and listen to some of the writing that has come out of the workshop since its inception. If you're a budding writer, or interested in advancing your writing, this is the place for you. If you'd like to view location information for the brewery or to sign up, visit http://tinyurl.com/craftbeerwriting - Also, don't forget that tonight is Open Mic Night - if you perform your 1st beer is free.

Boulder Beer Co (Boulder) - Today Boulder Beer Company has another beer rolling off the canning line today. "The Heckler" is a Belgian-style Tripel that weighs in at 8% ABV and will be available in 16oz 4-pack and on draft. It's on tap today in their Pub and will be in stores very soon. This is a one-time only commemoration of the 2014 Cyclocross National Championships set for Boulder in January. Available only in Colorado.

Upslope Brewing (Boulder) - Upslope is celebrating Giving Tuesday today and throughout the rest of the month. Bring in a canned food item into either taproom and get $1 off your pint. If you bring in 3 cans then you'll get a FREE pint! See, giving can be tasty too.

Oskar Blues (Lyons/Longmont) - Have you heard about the specialty tap list at this Friday's 11th ‪#CANiversary‬ up at Oskar Blues Grill & Brew in Lyons, CO? Here it is: The White Buffalo IPA, Southern Hemisphere ESB, 2009 Ten FIDY & ODB Barley Wine! This is the first ODB batch they've made since 2009! Come for the beer, stay for the killer show w/ Rocktin Grove & West Water Outlaws, show's $10.

Twisted Pine Brewing Co (Boulder) - From their newsletter: "Twisted Pine is holding its first ever homebrew competition AND YOU'RE INVITED TO PARTICIPATE! Contestants have until Dec. 31st to bring entries in to the brewery. Just ask the beertender on duty for your registration form. The only guideline for style is that the beer be expressive with hops. Feel free to interpret that however your twisted minds desire! The object is creativity and the prize is a chance to brew a 10 barrel batch of your recipe with Twisted Pine's brewers. The winner will be revealed at an announcement party at the ale house on January 11th. Good luck and brew well!"

West End Tavern (Boulder) - Fans of Speakeasy Ales & Lagers will want to come to a special Satellite Tap Room and Prohibition Party with Speakeasy Ales & Lagers this Thursday, December 5th starting at 6:30pm. Get your roaring 20's outfits on. It's the 80th anniversary of the repeal of Prohibition. Meet the brewer Brandon Borgel from Speakeasy.

Northern Colorado

Wiley Roots Brewing Co (Greeley) - Fresh off their success of releasing William, a Scottish Wee Heavy in November, the Wiley Roots crew is preparing to release another seasonal beer on Saturday, December 7th. This time, the beer will be an English-style Strong Ale called Griff. This hefty brew will be over 8% ABV and will certainly warm you up during these colder days of December. This beer, along with their Wee Heavy, will also be available up in Vail at the Big Beers Festival in January.

High Hops Brewery (Windsor) - Firkin Wednesday is almost here and this week they plan to tap a Vanilla Brown Ale at 5pm on December 4th. Big City Burrito will also be on hand to fill you up with some good food (weather permitting). Also, for you hop lovers, you can get a hop shot and boost your hop flavor on your favorite beer. This week's fresh hop shot features Nugget hops - grown right on site. Open Mic night on Thursday (5:30pm) and live music on Friday and Saturday.

Hunter's Moon Meadery (Severance) - Severance's best kept secret - Hunter's Moon Meadery is celebrating their 3rd Anniversary this week and to celebrate they will host an Open House of their meadery this Friday, December 6th from 3pm to 7pm. They will have special mead including Kim's Clove Mead and their Touch of Gold Saffron infused mead and some holiday munchies including pumpkin pie bites to share. The meadery is located in a building on private property at 404 Immigrant Trail in Severance, CO. If you plan to attend please RSVP by Liking them on Facebook and acknowledge their Event. Or you can call at (970) 302-3183.

Hardihood Brewing (Ft. Collins) - The new startup brewery in the works, formerly known as Sister Mary's Brewing, has changed its name to Hardihood Brewing and is targeting opening a brewery in the south end of Fort Collins sometime in 2014. They are still looking for a location and hope to sing on a lease very soon. They believe they've found the perfect spot for a brewery and taproom. Stay tuned for more.

The Fort Collins Brewery (Ft. Collins) - Smoked beer lovers take note. Today the brewery just bottled their new Out of the Ashes Smoked Rye Porter in 22oz bottles. Look for this beer to hit store shelves very soon.

Loveland Aleworks (Loveland) - Come try their winter warmer flight. It'll be on special for just $4 when the snow if falling.

Southern Front Range

Front Range BBQ (Colorado Springs) - Coming up on Thursday, December 5th at Front Range BBQ will be another in their line of "Meet the Brewer" nights. This time they welcome Taylor Rees, head brewer from Great Divide Brewing Company in Denver, CO. He will talk beer and bring along 3 favorite GDBC beers and 3 pilot beers. The talk and tastings start at 7pm and will run for about 3 hours.

Phantom Canyon Brewing Co (Colorado Springs) - New beer tapping today. This brew is called "Squirrel and the G-Man", a caffe mocha brown ale. This beer is described as: "A smooth drinking deep brown hued ale brewed with milk sugar (lactose), cocoa nibs and Purple Mountain Sumatra coffee. Aromas of coffee and chocolate lead to roasted barley and bakers chocolate flavors. The milk sugar lends smoothness and a hint of sweetness. 4.4% ABV." - Available now on tap at Phantom Canyon.

Mountains and West

Storm Peak Brewing Co (Steamboat Springs) - Progress is being made in bringing this new brewery to reality. The good news is that they have recently signed a lease on a brewery location, but they're not quite ready to announce the location just yet. They plan to have an outdoor deck overlooking Howelson Hill and plenty exposure to the warm sun. Stay tuned for more news.

Dillon Dam Brewery (Dillon) - This Thursday, December 5th at 8:30pm, Dillon Dam will be hosting a Search & Rescue Benefit and Movie Premiere of "Tracing Skylines", a snowsport movie. Cost is $8 at the door includes the movie, & raffle ticket to win ski gear, swag and lift tickets. Enjoy a movie and a beer and help benefit the Search & Rescue efforts in Summit County.

Elevation Beer Co (Poncha Springs) - Fanboy, Double IPA Aged in Oak Barrels will be hitting store shelves this week. This beer will be available in 750ml bottles and weighs in at 8.5% ABV and 70 IBU. The hop mix includes: Galena, Falconers Flight, Simcoe, Citra and Centennial. The oak barrels were new American oak. Goes great with chili, burgers and even goat cheese. Part of their Double Black Diamond series of beers. May the Hops be with you. This beer was formerly known as "Inconceivable!".
_____________________________________________________________________

Like us on Facebook - There's even more Colorado beer happenings and discussions on the Fermentedly Challenged Facebook Page. Find recaps, special offers, and tips that you won't find on the blog.

Colorado Beer News is published on Fermentedly Challenged daily (Monday through Friday) with craft beer stories as they break from newsletters, emails and social media sites. This news is intended for audiences of legal drinking age (21+). If you'd like to subscribe to this daily by email, sign-up here. Please, always drink responsibly and use a designated driver.